Ride With Me
by ebjeebies
Summary: An enormous dust storm forces Kagome to pull her motorcycle off the road and take shelter at a dingy roadside diner in the middle of the Arizona desert. Striking up a conversation with the gorgeous man sitting at the diner's bar, she discovers they're headed to the same city— but for very different reasons. Kag/Inu. AU. PWP. Rated for language and adult situations.
1. Haboob

_**Ride With Me**_

**Summary:** An enormous dust storm forces Kagome to pull her motorcycle off the road and take shelter at a dingy roadside diner in the middle of the Arizona desert. Striking up a conversation with the gorgeous man sitting at the diner's bar, she discovers they're headed to the same city— but for very different reasons. Kag/Inu. AU. Short story, 4-5 chapters. Rated for language and adult situations.

**A/N:** This story mixes real locations in the U.S. with fictional ones; hopefully it's not too confusing. One other thing: I'm writing human Inuyasha for the first time, and I've never been able to figure out what his human eye color is supposed to be. In the anime, I've seen it look everything from brown to gray to sort of purple-ish (maybe partly depending on the computer monitor screen?). I like the idea of him having gray eyes though, so I'm gonna go with that color for the purposes of this story.

Also, what is a "haboob," you ask? Why, it's an Arabic word for a particular type of extremely intense dust storm that occurs during monsoon season in many different parts of the world, including the American southwest.

**Haboob**

Kagome raced down the nearly empty highway, the late afternoon desert sun beating down on her blue motorcycle jacket. The jacket was of poly construction and well ventilated, but the wind that rushed in off the black pavement was hot and dry and smelled of tar and asphalt. Sweat ran down her neck from her scalp, catching in raven colored hair that cascaded out from under her full-face helmet.

She scanned the western horizon over the windshield of her deep orange Kawasaki motorcycle. In the distance, she could see a rising line of reddish brown that seemed to shimmer and pull itself apart in the heat waves that danced where faraway thunderclouds met the ground. If only it were a mirage.

Kagome knew that ominous cloud would collide with her soon. She cursed as the headwind picked up, sending dust and sand and tumbleweeds scattering down the highway.

…

Inuyasha sat perched on one of the diner's red leather and chrome bar stools, drinking a cheap-ass light beer and munching on a plate of cheese fries. The cheese was sort of disgusting, he would admit— a violently orange queso dip that was probably more artificial chemicals than actual cheese— but he loved it. His older brother would have sneered in aristocratic distaste, both at the cheese and the tiny roadside diner with its black and (what used to be) white checkerboard floor where he ate.

"Keh," he snorted to himself, taking another bite and reveling in the hot, plastic-y texture that nearly burnt his tongue. His gray eyes strayed out the window at the far end of the diner. Despite the glass panes being covered in a layer of dust and who knows what else, he could clearly see the sign for the diner practically blowing perpendicular to the t-shaped pole it hung from.

"Dust storm comin' in," Inuyasha heard someone say.

He turned toward the sound of the voice. The aging bartender was also the owner of the grimy establishment, a rounded woman with slightly sunken eyes, bleached blonde hair that was showing gray at the roots, and a slash of vivid red lipstick.

He grunted in response. Being from the southwest himself, he could tell just as well as she that the approaching storm would be a doozy. It was early August, still squarely within the monsoon season. The thunderstorms and the walls of dust they produced were spectacular indeed, so long as you weren't unlucky enough to be caught outside.

The sky darkened, eliminating the glare that had shone off of the polished surface of his motorcycle parked outside. He frowned at it.

"You got somewhere I can store my bike while this storm blows through?" Inuyasha asked the woman. He really didn't want to leave his precious Harley out there.

She thought for a moment before nodding her head. "I got a shed out back, s'long as y' don't mind all t'other junk in there." She might be aging, and she might have never been particularly attractive, but living out in the middle of the desert taught hard lessons about relying on and helping others. In the desert, seemingly unimportant things could quickly become life-or-death. You never turned down a person in need if you could help it.

"That'll work," he said, getting up from his stool. He cursed as he hit his shin on the foot bar of the stool next to his. Damn, he wished the stupid things weren't bolted to the floor.

"I'll go unlock it," the blonde owner said, extracting a set of jingling keys from her dirty apron pocket.

"Thanks." He pushed open the diner door, catching it against the gust of wind that nearly threatened to take it off its hinges if he wasn't careful. Looking westward, the dust storm loomed only a few miles away, thunderclouds crackling with lightning just behind it.

…

Kagome slowed as she neared the oncoming storm. She needed to find shelter, and fast. She had been hoping to come across a gas station or rest stop as she rode, but only miles of empty desert greeted her. A flash of silver caught her eye down the road off to the right side and her heart leapt. Hoping it wasn't a trick of the desert heat, she accelerated.

Fortunately, instead of disappearing, the patch of silver became larger, solidifying into a tin-roofed building. The storm was almost on the tiny establishment. Steeling herself, she leaned over her bike and pushed her speedometer up over 100. Kagome knew she at least had to beat the storm to the parking lot, or she'd be toast.

…

The storm hit less than 30 seconds after Inuyasha came back inside from putting his bike in the shed behind the diner. Windowpanes rattled as debris smacked into them and the wind roared and rocked the building. He chewed his lip, beer and fries long forgotten as the view outside largely disappeared into swirling reddish dirt.

A faint flash of blue caught his attention. He strode over to the window and looked out, trying to discern what the blue object was. From what he could tell, it seemed to be moving around of its own accord rather than with the wind as the dust thinned and thickened as it blew around.

_Is someone out there?_ Inuyasha thought incredulously. He wanted to get a better look, but the winds weren't listening to his wishes, and he didn't catch sight of the bobbing blue object again. He turned around to go back to his stool just as the diner door was thrown open and a cloud of dust blew in as the person struggled for a moment to pull the door shut against the howling wind.

The owner-bartender hurried over to the newcomer, asking if they were all right. The dust-covered person nodded, opening the visor of their full-face motorcycle helmet to reveal deep, coffee-brown eyes.

Inuyasha thought the individual might be a woman, but the bulky blue motorcycle jacket obscured their figure, and the full-face helmet was… well it was a full-face helmet, and all he could see was a set of exhausted eyes rimmed with dust that had somehow made it inside the helmet. He watched as the owner handed the motorcyclist a set of keys, and the unknown person pulled their helmet visor back down and walked back out into the storm.

He shook his head, long black hair shifting against his tight red t-shirt. He knew there was probably room for a second bike in that shed, but the idea of someone else getting near his cherished Harley in such close quarters made him nervous. He scowled. It wasn't like there was anything he could do about it.

A few minutes later, the mystery motorcyclist returned, bringing in another cloud of dust. The person made their way to the counter, handed the keys back to the owner, and removed their black motorcycle gloves before beginning to work on the nylon chinstrap of their motorcycle helmet.

"Hey," Inuyasha said, addressing the individual. "I hope you didn't scratch my bike." He was only half-joking.

The person snorted as they finally got the chinstrap loosened. "Ye of little faith," A distinctly sarcastic and feminine voice issued forth, partly muffled as she removed her helmet, unveiling a dust-covered complexion, hair that would have been black as night were it not for the reddish dirt caked in it, and frowning brown eyes.

Inuyasha could see she was gorgeous, even under the layers of dust that coated her from head to toe. He grinned. Being stuck here for several hours while the storm blew through didn't seem like such a terrible prospect anymore. "I'm kidding," he told her, pulling his leanly muscled and heavily tattooed arms above his head in a casual stretch. He smirked as he noticed her eyes rake up his abdomen, over his chest and shoulders, and along his outstretched arms.

She bit one dust-covered lip in appreciation, then scowled in sudden distaste. "Gross," she murmured, touching her lips, fingers coming away coated in dirt.

Inuyasha was confused for a moment. He was gross?

"I'm going to go wash my face," she grumbled, turning and making a beeline for the single bathroom.

Suddenly it clicked, and he chuckled to himself. She'd gotten a mouth full of dirt when her teeth had crested her lower lip. More than a little amused, he went back to his fries, which were now lukewarm with that thin, skin-like layer forming on the surface of the artificial cheese.

…

In the bathroom, Kagome scrubbed at the dirt caked on her face, flecks of reddish brown water spattering the white porcelain sink.

"Ugh," she muttered, realizing that her hair was in even worse shape than her face. Deciding all bets were off, she stuck her whole head under the faucet. Of course she had to meet one of the hottest guys she'd seen in a while right after being caught outside in a raging dust storm. _Although if he thinks I'm attractive when I look like a mud creature…_ She snorted to herself as she scrubbed at her hair. It wasn't like it mattered anyway. He was some random guy at a diner in the middle of fucking nowhere. They'd make awkward chitchat for the duration of the storm, and then probably never see each other again.

She pulled her head out of the water and wrung her hair out, the water finally running clear. She glanced at her reflection in the cracked mirror and scowled. Better than before, but still less than great. Sliding a hair tie off her wrist, she quickly wrapped her sopping black mop into a bun at the back of her head. At least that way, the back of her shirt wouldn't turn into a wet muddy mess.

Reasonably satisfied, she plucked her motorcycle jacket off the tiled floor, leaving a small pile of dust behind, and walked back out of the bathroom to join the sexy Harley owner at the counter and order a beer.

Sliding onto the stool to the right of his, she addressed the bartender. "What kind of beer you got?" She asked.

The woman ticked off a few names on her fingers. "Bud, Bud Light, Bud Light Lime, PBR."

Internally, Kagome sighed. She'd gotten used to having all of the trendy micro-breweries around in her hometown. _I guess I'm a little spoiled…_

"I guess just a regular Bud then," she replied.

The blonde woman nodded and went to grab a glass bottle from the fridge behind the counter.

Kagome swiveled slightly on her stool to look at the man next to her, who was currently attempting to keep a large mound of slightly solidified cheese from sliding off his french-fry. Just as a glop started to fall, he stuck out his tongue to capture it and popped the fry into his mouth. He chewed for a moment and swallowed, licking the edge of his perfectly shaped lower lip. Gray eyes flicked toward her.

"What?" he asked, sounding a little harsh. In reality, he was biting back a grin.

Caught staring, Kagome felt herself flush faintly. "Er— nothing. I just expected— uh, nevermind..."

The bartender arrived in time to save her.

"There's y' beer, honey. I'm gonna head in back and wash some dishes, so you two just holler if y' need anythin.'" She disappeared through the black plastic door that led to the kitchen.

Kagome took a swig of her beer and pulled a face. "God this shit's disgusting."

Inuyasha snickered. "C'mon, it's not that bad. What, are you used to all that micro-brew crap or something?"

Kagome choked. Coughing for a moment to clear her lungs, she finally retorted, "Yeah, actually. My hometown has a lot of them."

"Keh! That shit's too damn pretentious for me."

Kagome eyed him for a moment before responding. The guy was clearly well-educated, if his word usage was any indication, but his tastes appeared to be… _Lacking,_ she thought a little unkindly.

"Well who cares as long as it's delicious?" She countered, taking another swig from her bottle of Bud.

He shrugged. "Not four bucks extra delicious."

"Whatever," she dismissed. "Where are you headed anyway? Or are you from around here?" Honestly, she didn't know how the latter could be possible, given the utter lack of pretty much any civilization whatsoever. She wouldn't be surprised if the woman who ran the diner was the only person living in the area within twenty or thirty miles.

"On my way to Onera," he said, pushing the remnants of his cheese fries out of the way so he could lean on the black formica counter.

Kagome's eyes widened in surprise. "In Nevada?" She asked.

"The one and only. Why, you know that city?"

She set her beer down. "Yeah. That's where my family lives. I'm going to visit them."

"Huh. I'm going there to get away from my family."

"What's wrong with your family?" She asked, then realized that it was a sort of personal question. "Er, I mean, you don't have to—"

"Nah, s'fine," he cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Mainly it's my older brother. He's a rich bastard with a stick up his ass so huge it's more like a tree trunk, he doesn't give a shit about anything besides his solar energy business, and he treats everyone like they're beneath him. I don't understand how anyone at his company puts up with him," Inuyasha finished a little breathlessly, surprised at his own venom in front of someone whose name he didn't even know. He glanced at her, attempting to gauge her reaction to his tiny tirade. She didn't appear to be phased.

"He sounds delightful," Kagome commented sarcastically.

Inuyasha let out a sigh of relief internally. Some people thought you shouldn't talk badly about your family, for no other reason than that they were kin. But it appeared that Kagome didn't care, which was good, because Inuyasha thought all of those people could go straight to hell.

"But surely the rest of your family can't be so bad?" She continued.

"Tch. The rest of my family is either dead or living back overseas in Japan."

"…Oh. Sorry to hear that."

He shrugged. "Not like I can change any of it. What about you?" He asked, directing the conversation away from himself.

"Huh?"

"Your family. They alright?"

"Oh. Yeah— they're a little weird, I guess, but I love them anyway." She smiled softly. "It's been a while since I've seen them."

"Must be nice," Inuyasha commented, "to have a whole family that gets along." He reached for a forlorn-looking French-fry, small and droopy with a blob of cheese weighing on it. A quiet, bitter laugh escaped him, thinking he had a lot in common with that sad little piece of greasy potato. When she didn't respond, he looked over at her, and he was surprised to see what might have been grief interred behind her eyes as she watched the dust swirl outside the diner window.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, tentatively reaching out to touch her wrist to get her attention. He still hadn't asked her name, but for whatever reason it bothered him to see her looking upset.

She pulled chocolate colored eyes back to him, meeting his stormy gray that were looking at her with a surprising amount of concern. Her mouth quirked up at the corner, banishing most of the sadness from her expression.

"Yeah. It's just that my family isn't really all that whole anymore. My dad died about ten years ago, but it's just something I've never really been able to completely move on from." She looked at her hands, turning them over so her palms faced up and exposing a single tattoo on the inside of her left wrist. She traced the black lettering with her index finger.

"What's it say?" He asked curiously, leaning into her space a little so he could see it. In slightly script-style italic letters, it read "GPZ500S." The year 1995 was written underneath, bookended by two curling text ornaments.

"It's the model of his motorcycle and the year he died," she explained, holding her wrist out. "He was killed in a motorcycle accident on that bike."

Inuyasha looked up at her questioningly, his face much closer to hers than he'd expected. His breath hitched a little before he asked, "And you still ride?"

"Of course," she said, brushing her still damp bangs out of her face. "It's my way of remembering him. He taught me to ride when I was seventeen, you know. Of course my mom wasn't very happy about it. Still isn't really," she laughed lightly. "But she understands."

"My dad died right after I was born," Inuyasha found himself telling her, as he sat back a little, leaning his elbow on the counter. "And my mom went when I was five. My brother raised me for the most part, though I never could understand why. He acted like he hated every minute of it."

"Maybe he felt like it was his familial duty?" Kagome asked. She was a little surprised they were even having this conversation. But perhaps the fact that they were strangers somehow made it easier.

Inuyasha snorted. "I doubt it, considering he threw me out the second I turned eighteen. He was probably legally obligated, being the only relative I had in the U.S. Either that, or my dad had willed it to be so if my mom ever kicked the bucket. Dad's will was the only thing Sesshoumaru ever listened to."

"Sesshoumaru, hm?" Kagome mused.

Inuyasha looked at her with confusion. "Huh?"

"Just that you've told me your brother's name now, but not yours." She swirled the last of her beer in the bottom of the glass bottle.

"Oh— I'm Inuyasha," he said, extending his hand towards her.

"Kagome," she replied, taking his proffered palm in hers. His handshake was warm and firm, but not too tight, and she felt a shiver of energy run through her at his touch. Her eyes met his, and she could feel that telltale clench in her chest as she took in his high cheekbones, strong jaw, and smirking lips that looked eminently kissable. After a moment, she realized they'd been gripping each other's hands too long, and she broke away abruptly, feeling heat rise up her neck.

A little disappointed at the loss of contact, he picked up his beer and swigged down the last few gulps. _Damn,_ he thought to himself. He felt like this random woman he'd met at this shithole diner in the middle of the desert, and only because of something as unpredictable as a dust storm, might actually _get_ him. He wasn't sure if the universe loved him or hated him, but he would be damned if he was going to squander this opportunity. They were even traveling to the same city, for Christ's sake.

"Hey," Inuyasha started, making up his mind, "I hope this doesn't sound weird or anything, but when this storm clears out, do you want to ride together up to Onera?"

Kagome gave him an appraising look. She had been considering the same idea, but wasn't sure if she should trust someone who was basically a stranger when she was alone and in the middle of the desert. On the other had, he seemed nice enough and a little vulnerable, despite his occasionally crass language, muscular appearance, and the full sleeves of tattoos that ran down his arms. She also found him unreasonably attractive, with that tight shirt of his that left so little to the imagination, and his long, straight black hair tied in a low ponytail that brushed the back pockets of his dark jeans.

Inuyasha waited with bated breath, wondering if he should have even asked such a forward question, as her eyes roamed over his seated figure.

Finally, she grinned. "Sure, why the hell not." If nothing else, it would be nice to have a companion on the lonely desert roads.

Inuyasha hid his relief, offering her a half smile and grunted, "Cool."

**A/N:** Hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of this story! I decided to play up some of the more angsty aspects of Inuyasha's personality, but hopefully it wasn't too much. He had to seem a reasonable amount more personable at first in order for this plot to work (because really, Kagome taking off through the desert with some random guy is far-fetched enough as it is, even if they are heading to the same city), so you'll see a little bit more of the classic, loud, and slightly rude Inuyasha pop up later. Anyway, please review and let me know what you thought!

-ebj


	2. Feeling Spontaneous

**A/N:** Playa Roja: for any non-Spanish speakers, this is pronounced, "ply-ah ro-ha," and translates to "Red Beach" in English. Why am I telling you this? It's a few paragraphs down, and I thought it made more sense to put the pronunciation guide at the beginning rather than the end. :P

**Feeling Spontaneous**

The thunderstorm that followed in the wake of the towering wall of dust the previous afternoon stuck around longer than Inuyasha or Kagome would have liked. It was dark by the time they left the diner, and the roads were slick with a fine coating of mud.

They'd asked the owner of the diner for directions to the closest lodging for the night, which turned out to be a shoddy Motel 6 about 20 miles west down the road. It took them nearly an hour to get there, their bikes almost sliding out from under them more than once on the treacherous path.

Exhausted upon their arrival, they checked into separate rooms and collapsed onto hard, squeaky beds with thinning sheets and faded floral comforters that had lost most of their fluff. The rooms were surprisingly clean and serviceable however, and their utter fatigue quickly claimed them both for sleep.

…

The next morning, after a cold, continental-style breakfast and scalding gas station coffee that wasn't much better than dirty water, they pulled up their bike's kickstands and took off, away from the still-rising sun.

For hours, they saw no one and heard nothing but the roar of their engines, the rippling sound washing across the sand and through scrubby juniper and stands of yucca. As the sun ascended in the sky, they began to pass the occasional car or long-haul trucker towing their big rig through the desert heat. Soon, cars became more frequent, and it became apparent that they were getting close to a sizable town.

Kagome glanced at her fuel gauge, noting that she was beginning to run a little low on gas. As they approached the exit for the town, she zipped in front of Inuyasha, signaling to take a small detour off the highway. He followed her up the ramp to one of the gas stations, whose sign atop a soaring metal pole glared in the noonday sun, a beacon of relief for desert travelers.

Inuyasha pulled up to the pump right behind Kagome, killed his engine, and popped open the fuel door to fill the tank. Kagome had just finished doing the same, and was pulling out her cellphone to check their location as she held the gas pump in place with her other hand, being sure to keep one eye on the gallon count on the pump's digital display.

Looking at the digital map with its bright blue dot indicating that they were in a town called Playa Roja, she saw that they were a few hours from the border with Nevada, and would cross into the state around dinnertime. She glanced at Inuyasha, who was watching her fiddle with her phone, an odd expression that seemed torn between lust and contentment gracing his features. An idea bubbled up in her mind as she looked between the map on her phone and his beautiful face, framed by onyx colored bangs that shifted in the stiff breeze.

When they had each finished fueling their bikes, she sidled up to him, enjoying the way that lust began to win the battle in his stunning gray eyes.

She hardly knew him, but she liked the way he rode— fast enough to be fun, but not reckless, leaning into turns with precision, quick and smooth avoidance of the inevitable tumbleweeds that blew into the road— and, she was learning, a bit at odds with his personality. Kagome had quickly realized that it was an addicting contradiction.

Inuyasha took a deep breath, willing his body to calm down. All morning, he'd watched this woman expertly handle a machine that was nearly as gorgeous as she, and now that same woman was coiling up to him with a sly expression on her face, completely ignoring their extremely public location.

"What's up?" he asked, all too casually, leaning on a white painted metal column next to the pump.

"I noticed," Kagome replied, before her lust-driven courage left her, "that around dinner time, we're going to cross into Nevada, and we'll be awfully close to Las Vegas." Her brown eyes traveled up to meet his, willing him to understand what she was implying.

Inuyasha's slate colored eyes widened, disbelieving. _There's no way…_ "And?" He said instead, feigning ignorance.

Kagome gathered her lower lip into her mouth, along with her last bit of bravery. "So this might sound completely crazy, but… What do you say we grab dinner, a reasonably priced hotel room, and play a few rounds of Blackjack at a casino?"

_Way._ His brain took a moment to catch up. _And she said, 'room,' not 'rooms.' Well shit._ "Uh, well— I mean—" He stumbled over his words and scowled.

Kagome's face fell the tiniest bit, sliding into a more neutral expression. "Oh. Well if you don't want to…" She started to turn away to go snag her receipt that was fluttering in the wind, still attached to the dispenser at the pump.

"Keh!" Inuyasha shook his head furiously at himself and grabbed for her shoulder. "Of course I want you!" They both stopped dead. "Er— want… to…" _Fucking fuck._ He dropped his eyes to the pavement and his hand from her shoulder. "I— that didn't—" He started to mutter.

But Kagome was grinning ear to ear. "Then it's a date," she said cheerfully, ignoring his awkward mumblings. She spun and practically skipped back to her bike, relief and amusement written all over her posture as she pulled the receipt out of the dispenser and stuffed it into her pocket.

As her engine roared to life, she shouted over her shoulder, "See you in Vegas, Inuyasha!" And went tearing out of the concrete lot.

…

A little over four hours later, they were parking their bikes in an enormous hotel parking garage, and Kagome could hardly keep from gaping at Inuyasha.

They'd stopped one more time for gas in between Playa Roja and Vegas, and Inuyasha had offered to call a few hotels to see what was available for a reasonable price in the area. She had assumed that they'd find a room at a Hampton Inn, or some other mid-range hotel. But no. He'd gone and made reservations at Aria Sky Suites, one of the swankiest hotels on the Vegas strip.

And last night she'd thought that the man had no taste. She revised her thinking and decided that he just had no taste in beer or appetizers.

"Inuyasha," she said finally, straightening up from locking up her bike. "Just how exactly do we plan on paying for this place? Originally, I was thinking we'd go half and half, but…" She trailed off, a little embarrassed to be discussing her current financial capabilities.

"Don't worry about it," Inuyasha shrugged as he opened his silver-studded motorcycle saddlebags to extract his belongings. "I've got it covered."

"Don't be ridiculous," Kagome said sharply, opening her own bags. "I don't want to put the cost of something like this entirely on you. I hardly know you."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "It's fine, really." He snapped his saddlebag shut.

Kagome shot him a skeptical look.

"Keh! Look, if you really gotta know, my father left me every penny of his unreasonably huge fortune when he died, and I inherited it when I turned 18." He scowled. "Happy now?"

Kagome had the grace to look a little abashed. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize…" She stepped around her bike, toting her overnight bag over her shoulder. "It's just that you… I guess—"

"I don't look like a rich guy?" Inuyasha huffed. "Good."

"Er, no. I was going to say that you don't act like a rich guy." She shifted a little uncomfortably, brushing her black bangs away from her eyes.

"Even better," he said darkly. "I hate rich guys." With that cryptic statement, he stalked off, leaving Kagome standing next to their bikes for a moment, blinking as she tried to process what exactly he had just said.

Then it dawned on her. _Your brother._ She snorted. Of course it would be about Sesshoumaru. It seemed that anything that Sesshoumaru was, Inuyasha tried not to be. And now she had an idea about why there was so much bad blood between the two— if their father had willed the entirety of his fortune to Inuyasha, then Sesshoumaru surely would have—

"Oi! Wench! You coming or what?" Inuyasha hollered from where he stood by the garage elevator, holding the door open.

Kagome stashed her speculations for later and hurried over to join him in the elevator. "You better watch what names you call me," she said warningly, eyeing him up and down. "Or I might just make you my whipping boy."

At her words, Inuyasha felt a tiny, unexpected shiver work its way up from the base of his spine. Raking darkened eyes up her form, he pressed the elevator button for the lobby, licked his lower lip and whispered with husky emphasis, "Wench."

…

After Inuyasha had finished checking them into the hotel at the front desk, they made their way back to the elevators, Kagome marveling at the opulent tile floor that was laid out in a sort of undulating sunburst pattern, with white and an array of warm golden tones coursing through the lobby. One wall of creamy stone soared past glass-contained walkways a full story up, and her eyes followed it to its termination at the ceiling, her neck completely craned back.

"You're gawking," Inuyasha observed with amusement.

Kagome's chin snapped down, and she scowled. "So what— I've never been somewhere like this. We might have a lot of craft beer back in Daventon, but if we have anything like this, I've certainly never seen it."

"Daventon?" Inuyasha asked curiously.

"My hometown— in Texas."

"Never heard of it." He was about to press the call button for the elevator, when it dinged and the doors opened, a stream of people spilling out. Inuyasha and Kagome stood to the side to let them pass before getting onto the elevator, a few other people crowding in after.

"Not surprised. It's like a smaller, less cool version of Austin," she laughed.

"That's a hell of ride up to Onera for you then," Inuyasha realized after a few moments. "I thought I had a long trek coming up from Los Vecinos down in New Mexico."

Kagome shrugged. "I've made the trip plenty of times. Usually it's a two-day ride, 10 or 12 hours each day, but that dust storm kind of threw a wrench in things." She glanced at Inuyasha as the elevator stopped at the seventeenth floor, and they squeezed out past the other occupants. "Not that I mind," she smiled.

He grinned back lopsidedly.

"Though I am kind of wondering something," she said as they moseyed down the carpeted hall. "What made you decide to go all out like this?"

"Huh?"

"This hotel," she clarified, with a sweeping gesture at the hallway.

"Oh—uh," Inuyasha hesitated uncomfortably. "I guess I was just feeling…spontaneous. I don't do this kind of thing very often, but…" he trailed off.

"I gathered." _And I guess it's not every day I ask random guys I meet at diners to go to Vegas with me, but even still…_

Inuyasha glanced at her, and the look she gave him said that she was expecting more of a thorough explanation. He frowned. What _had_ made him choose to do something so unusual anyway? Normally, he avoided luxury like the plague it was— once it got into you, you just craved more and more and more until you were weighed down with _stuff_ and _self-importance _and you became immobile and useless and _cold._

But when Kagome had suggested that they stop over in _Vegas_, something whispered to him that here was a woman who would appreciate the extra mile, but who wouldn't let it go to her head. Here was a woman who wouldn't see this as an attempt to impress, but rather as something genuine from him. He felt that if he came here with her, they could be themselves together without pressure, as sometimes being more strangers that anything else to one another could allow.

He simply shrugged as they finally reached the door to their room. He slid the key card in and out of the lock and pushed open the door, revealing a lavishly appointed suite with an enormous, floor-to-ceiling picture window that perfectly framed a sweeping panorama of the city.

Inuyasha smiled at the view. "I thought it would be fun."


	3. What Happens in Vegas

**What Happens In Vegas**

"Hit me," Inuyasha said confidently to the dealer, glancing down at the cards on the red felt-covered table.

King of Spades. _Twenty-two._

"God damn it!" He shouted, knocking back the last half of his Margherita in one go. "Every time!"

Kagome grimaced in commiseration as she took a swig of her rum and Coke, the dark flavor sticking delightfully to her tongue. At least there was ample booze, even if they weren't winning at Blackjack.

"Inuyasha," she hiccupped, "how much have we lost so far?"

He frowned, brow scrunching up as his inebriated mind tried to count up his bets. He scratched his chin.

"Three hundred bucks, maybe?"

"And a hundred of that was mine, I think," she said sourly. "Wanna quit?"

"What? No! I have to win at least _one_ hand. It shouldn't be _that_ hard to win _once,_ should it?"

"It shouldn't," Kagome agreed, glaring tipsily at their dealer, a buxom redhead with bright green eyes who was having entirely too much fun winning every. Single. Game.

"One more round for the gentleman?" She asked sweetly, one hand on her curvaceous hip.

"No—"

"Yes—" Inuyasha pouted drunkenly at Kagome.

She giggled. He was unreasonably cute with that expression, but she wasn't going to tell him that. "Oh alright. But then we're doing Irish car bombs at the bar!"

"Keh, whatever wench!" He agreed, despite his earlier claim that he couldn't stand Guinness. Kagome thought that was completely unacceptable, and she had resolved to change his mind. In her opinion, the darker the beer, the better, and Guinness was basically black.

As it turned out, Inuyasha played not one, but three more rounds of Blackjack, and summarily lost each one. Out a total of six hundred dollars, and having depleted his Margherita, he was fuming as he stalked away from the table, following Kagome through the crowds as she practically dragged him up to the bar.

What drink had he agreed to? An Irish coffee? _An Irish something…_ he thought._ An Irish… an Irish c— an Irish car bomb? Oh hell no!_

"Kagome, I am not—" But a glass of Guinness and a shot of Bailey's Irish Cream were already being shoved into his hands.

"Ready?" She asked, smirk planted firmly on her lips, as she held up her own two glasses.

"No! You— you conned me into—"

"And you just lost another three hundred dollars at Blackjack!" She scolded him.

He groaned. "Don't remind me…"

"Then drink to forget!" Kagome exclaimed gleefully. "On the count of three, drop your shot of Bailey's into your Guinness and chug! One—" Her eyes flicked up at him to make sure he was holding his shot glass at the ready. "Two—" Inuyasha wrinkled his nose. "Three!"

They dropped the glasses into the Guinness, the Irish Cream puffing out into the dark Guinness in pale tan swirls. Tilting her head back, Kagome gulped it down, relishing the combination of bitter Guinness and thickly sweet Irish Cream. She was done before Inuyasha, and she watched his throat bob as he seemed to struggle to finish.

Finally, he slammed his glass back down onto the bar, his breath escaping him in a ragged rush. "God that was _disgusting!_" He groused.

Kagome just laughed at him and flagged down the bartender. "A couple glasses of water, please," she requested. The man nodded and hurried down the bar to get them. To Inuyasha she said, "Oh, come on, it wasn't _that_ bad."

"Never. Again."

The bartender slid their waters in front of each of them, and Inuyasha snatched his and guzzled it dry, the ice sliding down against his lip as he lapped at the last few drops.

Kagome shook her head. Clearly their booze preferences didn't exactly align. However… dragging her eyes over his legs encased in light gray, stone-washed jeans and up his side to his shoulders that pulled at the fabric of a deep purple v-neck t-shirt, she thought that other parts of them might align quite nicely. Her eyes climbed higher, until she met his deep gray eyes and their gazes connected—

"You're staring at me," Inuyasha asserted, a cocky smirk blossoming on his lips.

"So what if I am," she purred. The alcohol in her system seemed to be speaking for her as she sidled down the bar and into his personal space.

Inuyasha sucked in a breath at her proximity. He could feel the heat rolling off of her skin and see the peek of cleavage down the front of her sleeveless black shirt that clung to her like a second skin. His eyes fluttered half closed as he leaned down, pressing his nose into her raven colored hair.

"It's rude to stare, you know," he whispered into her ear, a seductive edge to his voice.

Kagome's pulse picked up as she felt him nuzzle against her, the low rumble of his voice sending shivers through her body. She turned her head toward his face, her nose brushing softly against his.

"But you liked it," she said, her words flitting across his mouth.

"Be that as it may," he replied, his lips closing the distance and barely brushing against hers, "You know what I don't like?"

"Hmm, what?" Kagome reveled in the barely there touch of their lips as she pressed her hand to the small of his back.

"Guinness," he husked. And then he was gone.

Kagome was left gaping, her hands holding nothing and her lips parted against air. She stood there a moment, just blinking at the space where Inuyasha had been seconds earlier, all hot breath and fluttering touches.

"Inuyasha!" She shouted indignantly, scanning the crowd for his distinctive figure. She spotted him making his way toward the entrance, where the casino and bar spilled out into the larger hotel lobby area. Kagome took off after him.

When she finally caught up to Inuyasha, he was leaning against one of the huge rectangular marble planters that were scattered throughout the lobby, casually checking his phone.

"Inuyasha." Kagome huffed.

He looked up at her, eyes appreciatively roving over the way she stood, feet shoulder width apart, hands on hips. Her expression was beautifully undone, torn between intense irritation and insatiate lust.

Inuyasha couldn't help the pleased grin that spread across his features as he pocketed his phone. "Kagome," he acknowledged, voice wrapping around her name like a caress.

She took a step toward him, putting mere inches between them. "You," she hissed. But a tiny smile played just at the corner of her mouth, even as she glared up into his gorgeous gray eyes.

"Hey," he shrugged, deceptively relaxed. "I had to get you back for the Irish car bomb somehow." His fingers brushed at a lock of her hair that had fallen over her shoulder and tugged playfully. "You're the first person to get me to drink an entire Guinness, you know," he added, straightening up and closing the few inches separating them.

Her breath hitched as she felt his body shift against hers and his hand slide around her lower back. A few strands of his night black hair fell forward, mingling with her own as he leaned his forehead against hers. She breathed his air for a moment. "…Inuyasha?"

Her answer was his lips brushing along her cheekbone, and she couldn't help but lean into the careful touch. She found her hands wandering up his back almost of their own accord and her head turning towards his, seeking the warmth of his lips that he had teased her with only moments ago at the bar.

Inuyasha could practically feel the desire radiating from Kagome's almost demanding touch as her hands explored the taut muscles of his back. Her lips were close, so close to his, and all it would take was a tilt of his chin just so—

Kagome let out the quietest of moans as his soft lips pressed against her mouth. Her hands dove into his low ponytail at the base of his neck, tangling there and using the leverage to pull him closer.

Inuyasha obliged, wrapping both arms around her and nibbling at her mouth until her lips parted under his ministrations, and his tongue brushed against hers in slick, heated strokes.

Kagome could feel heat pooling in her groin as he mapped her mouth with his tongue. There was a surprising amount of passion in his kiss, even allowing for the quantity of alcohol they had both consumed. A desperate sort of craving that was completely out of proportion for near strangers seemed to flow from his lips, leaving her breathless under his torrent of hunger and need.

When Inuyasha had brushed his lips against Kagome's back at the bar, he had felt an almost electric pulse race across his skin. Now that their lips crushed together and their tongues were locked in an erotic dance, that pulse came in waves that crashed over him, washing everything from his senses but her. He had some small idea why, but it almost didn't matter in the face of this tide of desire that was rushing in on them. Until he felt his cock stir against her hips where she was pressed against him. That single twitch pulled him back to consciousness, made him realize that they were drunk and very much still in public, so he pulled back, breathing hard.

The expression of lust and bewilderment in Kagome's eyes at the loss of contact almost made him kiss her again. Instead, he drew a deep breath, exhaling her name. "Kagome."

"Why'd you stop?" she asked thickly.

"I—" He paused to get his bearings. "I think… we should go for a walk."

Kagome gave him a tipsily puzzled look. "A walk?"

"Yeah. To— to sober up. I—"

She frowned. "You don't want to do this—?"

"What? No, I— I do. But, well, we're pretty drunk and…" He smiled self-deprecatingly, capturing her gaze and speaking quietly. "I'd—What I'm saying is… I'd like to remember all of this in the morning."

A smile spread slowly across Kagome's face as she understood. She slipped her hand into his and turned toward the hotel's main door. "Let's go for a walk then."

…

Kagome dragged her fingers lightly along the tops of the reclining deck chairs that were aligned in neat rows next to the pool. The desert night air was cool, and a gentle breeze sifted through her hair.

"Wish I'd thought to bring a bathing suit," she commented, gazing out at the pool that was illuminated underwater for the evening hours.

"I wish you had too," Inuyasha agreed flirtatiously.

Kagome grinned and elbowed him in the side. After a long walk around the hotel grounds and a quick meander out to the strip, they were finally starting to sober up, and Kagome was suddenly feeling slightly embarrassed about her previous overtures. She'd been so _forward_, but on the other hand, it was exactly what she wanted to do. It had been a while since she had allowed whimsy to carry her along in its delightful currents— and look where it had brought her! She sneaked a look at Inuyasha through her lashes, enjoying the way the light from the pool added a soft glow to his features and scattered flecks of gold into his gray eyes.

For his part, Inuyasha was entirely relaxed in a way he couldn't ever recall being before. Despite the fact that he'd lost spectacularly at Blackjack and his ill-advised bout with the Irish car bomb earlier, he was simply in the moment with Kagome. He couldn't explain it, but she put him thoroughly at ease. Perhaps it was the lack of expectations for anything more than what they really were— strangers riding through the desert, lives converging long enough to forge a few incredible memories, and then dissolving like a mirage. Or perhaps it was—

"Inuyasha?" Kagome queried curiously.

"Hm?" He responded, blinking at her.

She chuckled. "I guess you spaced out. I was asking if you wanted to go inside. It's getting kind of late…"

…

Inuyasha unlocked their hotel room door, pushing it open as he reached for the light-switch. Kagome followed him in as the light flicked on, illuminating the king-sized bed with a pristine white comforter and matching, regally upholstered headboard. Out the picture window, the points of light dotting the city skyline looked like so many colorful stars.

Kagome smiled at the view, sidling up behind Inuyasha. She slid her arms around his waist and pressed herself to his back, resting her chin on his shoulder. An idea occurred to her as she ran her hands over Inuyasha's chest, feeling him arch in to her touch. "Say," she whispered conspiratorially in his ear, "Do you know if that window is one-way glass?"

Inuyasha chuckled, realizing just what, precisely, she was asking. "Unfortunately, no." He felt her hopeful posture fall as he turned in her arms. "But," he continued, leaning his forehead against hers and reaching for the light-switch again, "We can always turn the lights off."

The room went dark as Kagome felt the hard crush of Inuyasha's lips against hers. She groaned and opened her mouth, her tongue snaking out to dance and tangle with his. His arms wrapped around her, hands sliding under the hem of her shirt to caress her bare skin. She shivered and pressed him in the direction of the bed, now dimly outlined only by the illuminated city skyline.

Inuyasha stumbled backward as the backs of his legs connected with the soft edge of the bed. He could hardly see, but he could feel the hot press of Kagome's mouth against his neck as she ravished him with kisses. He leaned back onto the luxurious comforter and pulled Kagome down on top of him.

"Inuyasha," Kagome breathed, fingers grabbing at the bottom of his shirt and pulling upward. "Too many clothes," she muttered.

Inuyasha grinned to himself and raised his arms over his head so she could pull his shirt from his body. He shivered as her hands slid up his sides, pushing the fabric up his abdomen, fingers catching to free his head and arms. Her lips found one firm pectoral and he moaned quietly as she kissed and nibbled her way up to his collarbone and then his neck. Teeth closed over one soft earlobe.

"Kagome…" His hands traced a heated path over her back and up her shirt. She pulled away from him for a moment to divest herself of the fabric before pressing herself to his bare chest.

Kagome could barely see, but she reveled in the heightened sensation of touch that came with the loss of sight. She felt Inuyasha reach behind her to unclasp her bra, and as the band popped open, she allowed the straps to fall over her shoulders and the garment slip off.

Leaning down again, she brushed the tips of her nipples feather-light over his chest. Inuyasha shivered delightfully and let out a small groan.

He slipped his hands under the waistband of Kagome's jeans, trailing around to the front in search of the silver button standing between him and her heated flesh. His concentration frayed as he felt her teeth close firmly over the muscular curve between his shoulder and neck.

He finally found the elusive button and fumbled it open— tremors coursed through his body as Kagome seemed to find every sensitive spot he didn't know he had. His dick strained in his pants and he arched up into her for a moment, letting her feel exactly what she had wrought in him.

Kagome gasped. She pulled her eyes away from his sculpted chest to meet his scorching gaze, running her tongue over her lip to taste the residual salt from his skin. She could see just well enough to perceive his naked hunger for her, no doubt reflected in her own expression. Kagome reached down and popped open the button on his jeans with a practiced twist. She smirked at Inuyasha's grunt of surprise, and quickly followed it by nimbly unzipping his fly.

Kagome's fingers felt cool and firm as she gripped Inuyasha inside his jeans. His eyes rolled shut as she began to stroke him up and down his shaft, thumb sliding over the sensitive head and spreading the bead of precum that had sprouted there. To give her easier access, he hooked his thumbs in his boxer briefs and pants and pulled them down so that they bunched around his thighs.

The next moment, he let out a long, low moan as her moist lips descended around his cock.

Kagome grinned around her mouthful at Inuyasha's reaction. Wanting to wring another luscious sound from his panting mouth, she slid farther down his shaft, the tip of his dick pressing lightly against the back of her throat. Her tenuous control over her gag reflex was rewarded as he convulsed and shivered and a breathless, "Kagome," tumbled from his lips. She pulled back, her tongue tracing patterns until she let him out of her mouth with a small pop. Kagome slid up Inuyasha's torso, brushing herself against his dick as she did so and allowing him to settle suggestively against her still-clothed crotch.

Inuyasha inhaled sharply, and his hands dove into Kagome's jeans to grip and squeeze her ass. Hooking his thumbs over the waistband, he gave an insistent tug. Kagome got the message and sat up on her knees to allow him to pull her jeans down over her supple hips.

It wasn't enough though, and after a few moments of tussling with each others' clothes, they managed to find themselves fully divested of any garment, their bodies pressing together sensuously.

Kagome closed her eyes, breathing shallow as she felt Inuyasha's bare cock slide against her dark curls.

"We— we should—" she heard him start to mutter.

"Hmm?" She was preoccupied with the feeling of his flesh against hers.

Inuyasha, delirious with desire, managed to reach toward his jeans that had been carelessly discarded on the bed beside them. He found what he was looking for in one of the pockets.

Kagome paused as Inuyasha brought a small, square foil package between their faces.

"Right," she muttered, simultaneously annoyed at the interruption and grateful for his thoughtfulness even in the throes of passion.

She took the package from his fingers and tore the top open, extracting the pre-lubed condom. Expertly, she pinched the tip and slid it over his straining manhood, enjoying the shiver he gave at the touch of her hands on him. Playfully, she bent down and nibbled his hip, continuing her ministrations up his torso, flicking her tongue over his nipple before arriving at his parted lips.

Kagome captured his lips in hers, tongue delving into his mouth, just as she aligned herself with him and pressed down, sliding his cock slowly into herself.

They both groaned as she seated him fully inside.

Breaking their kiss for a moment, Inuyasha said softly, "You sneak."

"Mmm, why's that?" Kagome asked, raising her hips and feeling him slide within her, and then thrusting back down.

"Hnn," Inuyasha moaned at the motion. "Because—you, you didn't let me—" his breath hitched as Kagome rolled her hips, "You didn't give me time to go down on you," he finished breathlessly.

"Well then," Kagome purred, "I guess you'll just have to wait until tomorrow morning, won't you? Because right now, _this_ is what I want." She emphasized _this_ with a particularly deep thrust that had both of them seeing a few stars.

"Mmmn. No complaints here." He enjoyed another minute of feeling her weight atop him, and then shifted, rolling them over. He felt his dick slip out as she looked at him questioningly.

Instead of responding verbally, he simply picked up her legs and let them drape over his shoulders, aligning himself with her dripping entrance. He probed it with the tip of his erection for a moment, teasing her and enjoying her gasps of pleasure. Then he sheathed himself fully, and was rewarded with Kagome's drawn out moan.

He began pumping slowly, feeling the delicious pressure of her body engulfing him. Kagome threw her arms out to the side, fingers gripping the soft white sheets. Inuyasha's rhythm was perfect torture, drawing her closer and closer to orgasm, but never sending her over the edge.

"Faster," she demanded, voice hoarse with pleasure.

Inuyasha obliged, shifting so that he was fully up on his knees and gripping Kagome's hips to steady her as the new position lifted her lower back off the bed. His thrusts were quick, deep, and hard. With each one, Kagome felt him hit a spot deep inside her that sent jolts of pure delight through the depths of her abdomen and zinged down to her toes. Her feet tensed, and she scrunched toes— somewhere in the back of her mind it occurred to her that this must be where the phrase, "toe-curling" had come from.

The thought retreated as waves of pleasure began to build. Inuyasha was sweating, his slick skin glistening sporadically in the limited light filtering in from the window. He could feel Kagome's walls begin to flutter around him, and he could hardly contain himself against the ecstasy it elicited.

"Kagome," he gasped breathlessly. "I—I'm gonna—"

"Inuyasha—" Kagome felt the telltale tightening, the pressure that built before everything burst into bliss.

"Oh god, Kagome, I— Mmmmnnnn!" Inuyasha surged forward, burying himself just as he felt her muscles convulse around him, her cry of completion coming a second later.

He sat down on his heels, leaning over her, still deeply seated. He felt her hand gently brush his bangs out of the way.

Kagome stared at his dark form, outlined and backlit by the glow of the city. She smiled as she touched the sweat beaded at his hairline. "Inuyasha," Kagome whispered, running her hand down the side of his face and sliding her fingers under his jaw. She tugged lightly.

Heeding her wordless direction, Inuyasha slipped himself out of her and leaned down, brushing her lips with his. Kagome slid her hands into his hair, deepening the kiss. He let his tongue play with hers for a moment before pulling back and brushing his nose against hers. "That was fun."

Kagome grinned languidly. Spontaneity had certainly served her well tonight.

* * *

**A/N: **Sooooo, I hope this third installment was worth the long wait. ;) Let me know what you thought in the reviews!

\- ebj


End file.
